rom the metaverse and CSR to stack management, no-code technologies and AI-generated content – the digital world has exciting developments in store for users and companies in 2023, too. Some technologies have been enjoying non-stop hype for years, while other innovations are only really gaining momentum now. Whether you’re discovering them completely anew or have already jumped on one trend or another: there’s something here for everyone! Some of it may still sound like science fiction (but it really isn’t!), while some are tangible challenges that are coming up soon. Let’s hear it for the top 8 MarTech trends of 2023.
The trends the metaverse has in store for 2023 and beyond could easily fill a separate article, because one thing is certain: there’s a lot coming our way. Apart from its strength as a marketing tool, the metaverse promises to provide platforms, tools, and entire virtual worlds in which business can be conducted remotely.
A particularly exciting metaverse concept is the idea of the “digital twin”. This refers to virtual simulations of real products, processes, or workflows that are used to test and prototype new ideas in a safe, digital environment. The magic word here is: Augmented Reality (AR).
AR offers a wide range of potential applications for marketing and advertising. Among other things, brands can use AR to create interactive experiences for users or to offer product demonstrations. For example, customers can try on clothing or test makeup before they buy it—digitally, of course.
Virtual Reality (VR), on the other hand, places users in a fully simulated environment. VR is not yet as widespread as AR, but it also offers great potential for marketers who want to create immersive brand experiences. How about, for example, a virtual test drive in your dream car? Or a virtual tour through a shop, a gallery, or a museum?
Our appeal: Sure, quite a few voices view the metaverse critically—“Will it live up to the hype?”. No matter how big it becomes in 2023, you should definitely engage with it and observe how your target audience relates to the metaverse.
Big Data is one of the top trends in the marketing industry, especially with regard to the growing importance of First and Zero Party Data. Until now, customer data has largely been collected via cookies that third-party providers place on websites. Transparency for users? Definitely not.
In 2023, the cookieless trend will continue to pick up speed and massively shake up the marketing industry. In the future, only data that customers voluntarily share with companies will be collected. Are you prepared for this development? If not, you should definitely adapt your strategies now. Also think about how you can make use of the data you obtain. Using Big Data correctly helps you make better decisions, develop new and more target-group-oriented products, and save on advertising costs. So: don’t just collect and store data in huge quantities—finally use it skillfully for marketing!
Our call to action: Say goodbye to cookies and change your data strategy: How can I collect the relevant data, and with which technological infrastructure can I best use the data generated instead of just storing it?
OK, the industry has been talking about artificial intelligence in marketing for years—if not decades. But until now, it has mostly been about machine learning for data analysis. Creating content was much more of a vision of the future and mainly took place on the campuses of American universities. That changed in 2022. And this trend will continue massively in 2023.
You’ve probably already noticed it yourself: AI-generated images on social media. What often seems like a gimmick (and is one) has a major impact on content production in 2023 and beyond. Because for the most important content formats (text, images, videos(!)), there are now quite a few software solutions and tools that deliver surprisingly good results and are not expensive at all—sometimes just $20 a month. This means that content produced with the help of AI is ready for practical use, especially for smaller companies. Why still use stock photos? Should I have an AI tool write personalized support emails? Are we finally using a chatbot in our online shop? Why not have a tutorial video created by an AI?
Our call to action: Since AI tools really don’t cost much, you can start by experimenting with them. Whether you ultimately use them for your marketing and whether they pay off for you is something you need to review carefully after this phase.
Click here for the article “AI for Your Content Marketing? A Status Quo Report on Generative AI”.
At first glance, it seems like an outlandish topic: the EU’s CSR reporting obligation that is coming for a great many German companies – and that you should start dealing with by 2023 at the latest. But on second glance, it’s quite (eco)logical that Corporate Social Responsibility also belongs in the MarTech space. Sustainability is, as we all know, a very hot topic for marketing. We don’t need to say much more about that here. If countless companies soon gear up with CSR software, it will be exciting and relevant for MarTechers, too.
Because with CSR software, a new technological foundation exists to link CSR reports with proactive communication about sustainability. You can share your reporting transparently and appealingly with your customers without raising suspicion of greenwashing. One not-insignificant challenge, however, will be integrating the CSR software into the existing MarTech stack. #ChallengeAccepted
Our appeal: Don’t see the CSR report merely as a (tedious) obligation, but as an opportunity to take a fresh, holistic and communicative look at the entire “sustainability” complex in your company – supported by the right technologies.
You can read the key points on CSR software and the CSR reporting obligation here.
Bad news for all programmers, but: According to a study by Gartner, by 2025 70 percent of all newly developed apps will be based on low-code or no-code technology. This means that in the future web questionnaires, landing pages, bots, or workflows can be developed without having to write a single line of code. As early as next year, no-code solutions are even expected to be possible for more complex use cases, such as data analyses.
Our call to action: Low code and no code mean that marketers can stand on their own two feet more when it comes to MarTech and become more independent from the IT department. So take a look at how you can integrate the no-code approach in your organization and look forward to the new freedom. 😉
In the US, people say that the MarTech market is becoming increasingly atomized. The MarTech Map surpassed the 10,000 mark at the end of 2022. Phew! That’s why, on the other side of the pond, people are already vigorously debating questions like these: At what point does the MarTech Stack become too complex? How do I organize it so that I can unlock the full potential of the individual components—and leave no functionality unused? Doesn’t tool A do the same thing as tool B? Which software and platforms can I use to organize my MarTech Stack efficiently?
In Germany, the topic right now may still be more along the lines of “How do I build a MarTech Stack in the first place?”. But sooner or later, the challenges of good organization will reach German marketers too—then it will be time for a technological spring clean-up and a MarTech inventory.
Our call to action: Use Matchilla to build and organize your MarTech Stack as effectively as possible. Admittedly, that was a rather blunt ad break, but sometimes it has to be. By the way, you can find out here how Matchilla works.
Sales is also becoming more and more technological—it has to, to remain competitive. And it needs to work more closely with marketing. A first major challenge for MarTechers will be convincing one or two old-school sales veterans that he or she should be using more and more software. Afterwards, it’s about building a SalesTech Stack that is intelligently connected to the MarTech stack.
Our call to action: Share the know-how you’ve built up around MarTech with the sales team without overwhelming them. Look forward to pioneering work!
Sounds far-out—and it is! Holograms aren’t just for science-fiction movies; they’re the ideal marketing tool for companies that want to showcase their brand and improve their customers’ brand awareness. Advertising holograms make it possible, for example, to display animated and interactive 3D images or 3D objects. This is still in its infancy in this country, but it has enormous potential. Why? Because hologram advertising stands out—it’s exciting and eye-catching. Used strategically, such a new technology can make a brand go viral in no time!
Our appeal: “Things are only impossible until they‘re not.” Captain Jean-Luc Picard
Finally, a video recommendation: MarTech guru Scott Brinker and Europe’s No. 1 MarTech expert Frans Riemersma present the updated MarTech Map and discuss what they consider the key MarTech trends for 2023. Well worth watching!
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Till Zier is CPO at Matchilla and, as a MarTech expert, reports in MatchZINE on news and trends in marketing, automation, analytics and data.
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